BELIEF BRIEFS

Gun control discussion at Kehillah Synagogue Sunday
CHAPEL HILL – Kehillah Synagogue, 1200 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, will host a discussion of advocacy and action options for gun control from a Jewish perspective from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Sunday. Sociology assistant professor Benjamin Albers of Bridgewater College in Virginia will discuss “Gun Control: Organizing for Jewish Action.” The event will take place in the main sanctuary of the synagogue.
Albers will describe the history and current status of gun control in the United States. Albers received his doctorate from Duke University and has conducted research on issues of gun ownership and identity. Rabbi Jen Feldman of the Kehillah will share Jewish thought and traditions that shape a position on gun control.
Following the Dec. 14 school shooting at Newtown, Conn., every major Jewish denomination has taken a public stand in favor of gun control, Feldman said. “Our tradition calls on us to confront gun violence and to turn our communal grief to positive action,” she said.
For information, call 919-942-8914.Faith Summit on Child Poverty to be held Jan. 24
DURHAM – Registration is ongoing for the Faith Summit on Child Poverty to be held from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 24 at Union Baptist Church, 904 N. Roxboro St., Durham. There are 14,000 Durham children in poverty, and the summit will focus on action congregations and agencies can take to reduce child poverty. Breakout sessions will focus on age groups birth to 5, 6 to 12 and 13 to 18. Speakers include J. Herbert Nelson, director of the Office of Public Witness, Presbyterian Church USA and N.C. NAACP President Rev. William Barber. Free with a recommended $10 donation for lunch; must RSVP for lunch. For information, email faithsummitonchildpoverty@gmail.com. The summit is sponsored by faith, community, government and university groups.New ministry, Life Empowerment Christian Fellowship, meeting
DURHAM – Life Empowerment Christian Fellowship, a new multi-cultural non-denominational ministry is holding services at 2 p.m. Sundays at Christ the King Moravian Church, 4405 Hope Valley Road, Durham. Life Empowerment also holds Bible study at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the same location. Its mission is “to win souls for the kingdom of God” and its goal is “empowering lives, embracing people and pursuing destiny in Him.” Mark I. Troublefield is senior pastor. For information, call 919-554-6153.Prophetic Warriors conference this weekend
DURHAM – A Prophetic Warriors conference will be held Friday through Sunday at Monroe Christian Church, 1701 Sherman Ave., Durham. The theme is “Sharpening Your Prophetic Gift to the Fullness to Bring Strong Deliverance and Revelation.” Conference hosts are Apostle D.M. Burnette and Pastor Benjamin Burnette. Service times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday. Guest minister is Apostle Ivory Hopkins of General of Deliverance in Georgetown, Del. He will preach on “One Clear Cut Agenda to Preach Balance Deliverance to the Nations.” Praise and worship on Friday by Purposed by Design; by Pastors T. and Michele Lee on Saturday; and by Vickie Smith on Sunday. Sponsored by Elder Julia Thorpe, 919-937-7769.Duke Chapel dean to speak at DCIA banquet
DURHAM –Durham Congregations in Action will hold its annual dinner and meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1902 Perry St., Durham. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel. There will also be special music, community service organizations will receive funding awards for hunger and human service programs, and DCIA officers and board members for 2013 will be installed. The dinner is $14 per person. Reservation deadline is Tuesday at 919-688-2036 or dcia@dcia.org. Payment will be accepted at the door.Gospel Quartet at Olive Branch Baptist
DURHAM – The Lumber River Quartet will present a gospel music concert at 6 p.m. Sunday at Olive Branch Baptist Church, 123 Olive Branch Road, Durham. The Lumber River Quartet is a Southern gospel group that tours all across the U.S. and Canada. The public is invited.‘Screwtape Letters’ discussion Sunday
DURHAM – Wesley Kort will discuss C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” at 9:45 a.m. Sunday in Watts-Hill Hall at First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St., Durham, in advance of a theatrical production of “The Screwtape Letters” Jan. 19 at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Lewis delves into moral questions in an exchange between two demons. Kort is a professor in the Department of Religion at Duke University and the author of “C.S. Lewis: Then and Now.” The public is invited to attend.Reformation class at Holy Trinity Lutheran
CHAPEL HILL – Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Campus Ministry, 300 E. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, will offer an adult Sunday school class, “Introducing Martin Luther,” at 9:45 a.m. Sunday beginning this weekend. Scott Hendrix, professor emeritus of Reformation History at Princeton Theological Seminary, will lead the class.First Afrikan Church pastor to guest preach
DURHAM – The Rev. Mark A. Lomax, pastor of the First Afrikan Church of Lithonia, Ga., will teach the adult class at 9:45 a.m. and preach during the 11 a.m. worship service Jan. 20 at First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St., in Durham on Sunday, Jan. 20. Mary D. Williams will sing during the worship service. Lomax is the founding pastor of the First Afrikan Church and professor of homiletics at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. Williams has told the history of the African-American South through song for more than 20 years. For information, contact the church office at 919-682-5511.Adult forum events, MLK children’s concert at UCCH
CHAPEL HILL – Reginald Hildebrand, UNC professor and author of “The Times Were Strange and Stirring: Methodist Preachers and the Crisis of Emancipation,” will speak about the Emancipation Proclamation during the 10 a.m. Sunday adult forum of United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Hildebrand serves on the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission and the Advisory Board for the North Carolina Historical Review.
Tim Tyson, the author of “Blood Done Sign My Name,” will be the guest speaker at the adult forum at 10 a.m. Jan. 20. He will discuss “From Stokely with Love: A Black Power Salute to Martin Luther King, Jr.” Also, UCCH will host a children’s concert honor Martin Luther King Jr. at 3 p.m. Jan. 21. “Only Light, Only Love” will feature singer and peace advocate David LaMotte, including a reading of LaMotte’s new children’s book on nonviolence, “White Flour.” Suggested donations for the concert are $5 for youth and adults; $3 children 4-12; free for children 3 and younger. Bring a plastic jar of pasta sauce or a box of pasta for the local food pantry. For information, visit www.unitedchurch.org or call 919-942-3540.Efird lecture series in Hillsborough
HILLSBOROUGH – James “Mickey” Efird will return to Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, 102 West Tryon St., to lead the Hughes Lecture Series on Mondays in January. The topic is “The Book of Jeremiah.” Lectures will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. in the sanctuary followed by a reception in Strudwick Hall. Child care will not be provided. For information, call 919-732-3131.Cain’s Chapel pastor to preach at Mt. Gilead of Orange County
HILLSBOROUGH – The Rev. Obadele St. George, pastor of Cain’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Hillsborough, will preach at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Gilead Missionary Baptist Church of Orange County at 3512 Pleasant Green Road, in honor of the Rev. Jimmy Wilson’s 16th pastoral anniversary.
Also, Cain’s Chapel Baptist’s Deacons, Deaconesses, & Trustees Day will be held at 4 p.m. Jan. 27 at the church, 2001 St. Mary’s Road, Hillsborough. All are welcome to attend. For information, call 919-471-4564 or visit www.cainschapelmbc.org.

Send information for Belief Briefs to Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan at dvaughan@heraldsun.com. The deadline is noon Mondays. Submissions should follow the format above.